The Motivation Process

Remember that all human behaviour rests on two principles: people's behaviour is not coincidental (Links to an external site.), and no two people are alike. All behaviour, therefore, is motivated. The state of mind that directs a person’s behaviour and energy towards the achievement of goals can be seen as a process or cycle.  

The motivation Cycle

The motivation cycle consists of three interdependent elements

• Need: A need results from an imbalance caused by a lack of something. For example, a physiological  (Links to an external site.)need develops when a person has no food or water. For learners, the physiological need for food, clothes and shelter (housing) should be satisfied by their parents or caregivers (Links to an external site.).

• Driving force (motivation): The needs of individuals motivate (or drive) them to achieve the goals which they believe will satisfy those needs. For example, a need to earn and to be self-supporting supplies the drive to study and to qualify for a profession in order to earn money.

• Goal: The thing that satisfies the need is the goal of the motivation process (Links to an external site.). The achievement of the goal – for example, obtaining a qualification, being appointed to a post, or earning a salary – will restore the balance (Smit & Cronje, 1992:323).

• Module: Discipline

• Module: Key Concepts 

• Module: Values Entrenched in the Constitution

• Module: A Learning School

• Module: Monitoring and Discipline in the Classroom

• Module: Learner motivation 

• Introduction: Learner motivation
• Theories of Motivation